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I always used to think that making bread (pita, whole grain, sweet, etc.) from scratch was a huge undertaking and not worth my time or effort. That all changed when I received my KitchenAid stand mixer
from my mother-in-law and her sisters for my bridal shower. With the dough hook attachment, making bread became so much easier and something I actually wanted to do on a more consistent basis.
These cinnamon sugar pitas came together so quickly in the stand mixer. It only takes 7 ingredients to make fluffy, light, baked pitas that are exploding with the best cinnamon and sugar flavor. You can also omit the cinnamon sugar and make plain pitas from this recipe.
And you really only utilize a half hour of your time since the dough will rest for an hour to proof, or in other words puff up/double in size. I know stand mixers can be expensive, so not to worry, you can also make these pitas in your food processor
. That blade you normally use to mix and chop food {called a ‘S’ blade} can also be used to make bread! What?!?? {this was the closest emjoi I could find to “mind blown”}.
Now come along on a pita bread journey with me:
We start out by putting warm water, sugar and yeast in the bowl of your stand mixer or food processor. Yeast feeds off sugar and the warm water helps to activate the yeast so that it blooms. Again, in other words, becomes foamy after about 5 minutes. You don’t want the water to be too hot because it will kill the yeast and your dough won’t double in size during its resting phase. I usually use either an instant read thermometer or a meat thermometer to test the water and make sure it’s right around 100°F – 110°F.
After the yeast has bloomed, it’s time to start adding the flour. Add the flour about a 1/2 cup at a time with the the dough hook or blade running. You can feed the flour through the feed chute in your food processor. The dough will become shaggy {like the photo?} as it continues to mix the flour into the water/yeast. Once all of the flour is mixed in it’s time to let the appliances do their job.
Just let the dough hook continue to run for about 6-8 minutes {even less in your food processor: about 3-4 minutes} until a lovely ball of dough forms. At this point it will probably look like it’s ready to come out to rest, but make sure to check the elasticity. You should be able to touch the dough with your fingers and nothing should stick. If it still sticks considerably, continue to run the dough hook for a few additional minutes. If the dough still looks too wet, add some extra flour 1 Tbsp. at a time. The same is true for if the dough looks too dry, add extra water 1 Tbsp. at a time. Pull the dough ball out and place in a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place a clean towel over the top.
It’s time to rest!
Now is the time to kick up your heels because while your dough rests, so do you. Grab that book you’ve been meaning to finish all summer or hit up your favorite binge worthy Netflix show {but only one, one hour episode here} because you have one hour for the dough to double in size…what the pros call proofing. And by the end of this post you’ll be a pita pro too!
ROLL up your sleeves
See what I did there? It’s now time to roll out that beautiful puffed up dough into little baby pitas. I like to use a pastry mat {this one
has always been my favorite} because you can roll out the exact diameter you want for your pitas. Cut the dough into 8 pieces and roll into balls. This is your therapeutic moment of rolling out the pitas like you’re a true bread maker. Roll into about a 6″ diameter for a slightly thicker pita.
Pour Some Sugar on Me
That’s what your little pitas are singing out right now. Mix together your cinnamon and sugar {I think I’ve found the perfect ratio, but adjust to your liking} and sprinkle over all of those beautifully rolled out pitas. Pop them into the oven and in just 10 minutes you will have pita perfection!
Congratulations!
You’re now a pita pro! See, I told you it wouldn’t be that hard and the amount of effort was minimal. Now you can cut those pitas into perfect triangles and serve them with this super fruity, super fresh salsa. Your friends will be so impressed that you made pita bread from scratch and you will take the ?? because you deserve it, you little pita master, you.
If you make these pretty little pitas make sure to take a picture and #ionlycameforthecake on Insta!
How to make homemade pita bread topped with a delicious cinnamon sugar mixture.
- 1 1/4 cup warm water (about 110°F)*
- 4 Tbsp. + 2 tsp. Truvia baking sugar, divided
- 1 packet (2 tsp.) active dry yeast
- 2 ¾ cups white whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup AP (all purpose) flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
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Pour the warm water into the bowl of a stand mixer {fitted with a dough hook} or food processor {fitted with a ‘S’ blade}. Add 2 tsp. sugar and yeast and let sit for 5 minutes, until the yeast starts to foam.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours and salt.
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Turn the stand mixer on to medium-low speed {1 or 2 on your food processor} and start adding the flour, about a ½ cup at a time until all flour has been added.
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Turn the mixer up to medium and kneed for about 6-8 minutes {or 3-4 in your food processor}, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and is no longer sticky to the touch.**
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Coat a large bowl with olive oil and place the dough in. Cover with plastic wrap and a clean towel and place in a warm spot to rise for 1 hour.
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Preheat the oven to 400°F.
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On a floured surface, remove the dough and cut into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and roll into about a 6” round.
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In a small bowl, mix together the cinnamon and remaining 4 Tbsp. sugar.
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Place the rolled pitas onto a cookie sheet and spray the top with butter cooking spray. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the top and bake for 10-12 minutes.
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Remove to cool slightly and slice each pita into 8 triangles.
*Note: use an instant read or meat thermometer to test your water temperature. Use only warm water to help activate the yeast. Anything higher and it could kill your yeast and your dough won’t rise properly.
**Note: If the dough looks too wet, add some extra flour 1 Tbsp. at a time. The same is true for if the dough looks too dry, add extra water 1 Tbsp. at a time.
Sounds delicious but still bloody difficult for my skills haha
Haha! Linda, if you have a food processor and push buttons, the appliance basically does all the work for you. Let me know if you give it a shot!